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Jocelyne Shimin Sze
I am a Singaporean Chinese woman who grew up in a privileged, middle-class environment with an interest in biodiversity conservation. Transitioning from a positivist natural scientist background, I am currently seeking to understand the world from diverse and plural perspectives, in pursuit of social and environmental justice. I am particularly interested in decolonial approaches to conservation and in higher education, and in navigating pathways to a degrowth planet.
Education
PhD in Biosciences
School of Biosciences
University of Sheffield, UK
2023 - 2019
- Thesis: Quantifying conservation outcomes in Indigenous peoples’ lands across the tropics
- Examined deforestation, forest integrity, and vertebrate species range distributions on Indigenous lands and state-managed protected areas across the tropics
- Grantham scholar
MRes in Ecosystem & Environmental Change (Distinction)
Department of Life Sciences (Silwood Park)
Imperial College London, UK
2016 - 2015
- Thesis: The Identification and Predictive Modelling of Global Deforestation Hotspots
BA in Natural Sciences (2nd upper class honours)
Peterhouse
University of Cambridge, UK
2013 - 2012
- Specialised in Zoology (ecology, conservation & palaeontology)
- Jardine scholar
Research Experience
Post-doctoral researcher
Conservation Data Justice (CONDJUST)
Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain (ICTA-UAB)
current - 2023
- Examining how geospatial data are used in conservation
GIS consultant
N/A
N/A
2021 - 2019
- Conducted spatial GIS analysis for the Global Deal for Nature 30 By 30 project, evaluating costs and benefits of expansion of global Protected Areas to 30% by 2030
Research associate
Coupled Human-Natural Systems lab
Asian School of the Environment, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
2018 - 2017
- Evaluated the ecological and social factors behind forest fires in Sumatra, Indonesia
Teaching Experience
Graduate Teaching Assistant
School of Biosciences
University of Sheffield, UK
2021 - 2019
- Served as GTA for undergraduate R courses on R and statistics
Selected Talks and Posters
Missing the trees for the forest: Oversights of Big Data in forest conservation
Stockholm, Sweden
2024
- Poster presentation for panel on Digital transformation in forest governance- the Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Challenging colonial practices in research: A guide for PhD researchers
UK Research Integrity Office
2024
- Invited speaker on Decolonised Research Culture and Practice
- Based on an online guide co-developed with other PhD researchers at the Uni. of Sheffield Challenging colonial practices in research: A guide for PhD researchers
Engaging geospatial research for more just conservation
ICTA-UAB Conference 2024 Growth Vs Climate
ICTA-UAB, Spain
2024
- Panel on Data, nature and conservation
Indigenous peoples and conservation: a geospatial perspective
DICE seminar
University of Kent, UK
2023
- Invited speaker on Indigenous peoples and conservation, presenting work from my PhD research
Quantifying conservation outcomes in Indigenous Peoples’ Lands across the tropics
Brownbag lunchtime seminar
ICIMOD, Nepal
2023
- Invited speaker on Indigenous peoples and conservation, presenting work from my PhD research
Quantifying conservation outcomes in Indigenous Peoples’ Lands across the tropics
Grantham Institute Internal Seminar and Cake
University of Sheffield, UK
2023
- Presented on my PhD research
Global protection of biodiversity–Impact of the new CBD framework on German government action
Hearing of the Committee on Economic Cooperation and Development
German Bundestag
2023
- Invited expert to speak on the importance and rights of Indigenous peoples in relation to conservation
Publications
Indigenous Peoples’ Lands are critical for safeguarding vertebrate diversity across the tropics
Global Change Biology, 30(1), e16981
N/A
2024
- First author paper as part of PhD research
A global conservation basic income to safeguard biodiversity
Nature Sustainability, 6(8), 1016-1023
N/A
2023
- Led by Emiel de Lange
- Conducted the geospatial analyses
Unravelling the Local Dynamics of Increasing Fires in Community Forests of Mid-Hills of Nepal
Journal of Forest and Livelihood, 21(1), 60-71
N/A
2022
- Led by Sarada Tiwari
Indigenous lands in protected areas have high forest integrity across the tropics
Current Biology, 32(22), 4949-4956
N/A
2022
- First author paper as part of PhD research
Reduced deforestation and degradation in Indigenous lands pan-tropically
Nature Sustainability, 5(2), 123-130
N/A
2022
- First author paper as part of PhD research
Indigenous agricultural practices and biodiversity in the occupied Palestinian territories
Reference module in earth systems and environmental sciences
N/A
2021
- Led by Omar Saif
Projecting the performance of conservation interventions
Biological Conservation, 215, 142-151
N/A
2017
- Led by Elizabeth Law